Although there are some variations available--MLD's brown and yellow and the Gatewood Cape's green and tan options come to mind--it seems the vast majority of cottage shelter makers stick with gray silnylon. Why? It's so...gray.

1. Gray is a neutral color.2. Gray is a color that blends with most natural setttings.3. Gray is depressing as hell and makes you want to get out of your tent and explore.4. Gray is cheaper than anything but white.5. Gray is the color decided upon by cottage industry tent makers so they get a break on price for (secretly) ordering as a group.6. Gray is great for stealth camping so park rangers won't find you.7. Gray is popular in the former Confederate states. (The South shall rise again!)8. Gray is the color that best matches your ti mug.9. Gray is the color that makes us want to ask, "Geeze Loiuse! why do so many of you make gray tents?"10. And finally, gray is a color that makes us want to buy a avocado green (or purple, or da-glo orange) parka just for a fr!kk!n break!

Really, do you want to lay in an orange or yellow or red tent if you have a migraine, a hangover or, God forbid, giardiasis?

I have a gray one on the way via gear swap, so I'll find out soon enough if it drives me batty. Green and yellow are two of my favorite colors; I like the look of Hilleberg's green/yellow tents but I'm not in the market for anything that bomber or expensive. My tarp for my hammock is green. Brown isn't even bad when it's the deeper coyote brown. I'd prefer brown over gray if I were purchasing new.

"Grey shelters are terrible and I will never purchase one. I would become depressed by the end "

I wonder if you have your mind made up before giving it a try? If that's the case, know that silnylon is a very thin material -- so it really doesn't take much light at all to brighten up the interior -- even moonbeam will do (which can make sleep difficult sometimes when the moon is full).

The purple I can agree with, Ben. My hammock is a garish purple--a production Henessey, albeit a discontinued adventure racing model...I think those were never made in the usual coyote brown other Henesseys use.

I've got green and blue silnylon tarps and a white spinnaker tarp. The green is about an S80, V60 on Franco's chart and the blue is pretty vibrant. In terms of the quality of light under the tarp, I like the white spinnaker the best and green silnylon the least. The light is a sickly green color under the tarp that I don't find pleasant, especially if I have to spend an extended amount of time under it. It makes me think of the green you see in the sky before a really bad thunderstorm, not a very comforting thing to associate with your shelter. I've also got one of those garish orange Marmot tents for car camping and I like it better than the green tarp too. Talk about a cheery color!

I don't care for gray. Lets too much light through. I really like the olive brown that MLD now has a shortage of.I also don't care for the yellow trim on Tarptents either. I don't like the yellow bits on the ULA packs either.

The Hilleberg green is better than the red for me but it too could be a darker shade.

I also don't camp with a hangover like Eric. Nor do I spend all day in a tent, ever.